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[smartass_captain]

It's early morning in the Nexus, well before what passes for a dawn. Quiet. Peaceful. For everyone but a passer by to the small kiosk in the center of the Plaza where a man in a rumpled Starfleet uniform is busy setting aside an empty carafe that must have once held precious coffee while swearing under his breath. Jim's squinting in the gloom of the street lights as he heads to a nearby vending machine with grim purpose.

Nothing, not even a barely grasped concept of money, is going to stop him from fumbling with the machine until a can tumbles out and he can pop its seal to chug the so-coveted caffeinated drink. It's not even that good, but he's been cut off from the replicator back on his ship. He needs to get another can.

Or maybe four.

He grunts what might be a greeting to anyone who he catches watching him while he fumbles with the cans he's got gathered in one arm.

"What're you looking at?"

Comments

[readvondaniken]

"What?" There's a lean man not too far back, with bushy eighties hair and ragged hand-sewn clothes. His tone of voice is more amused and curious than defensive, though, and he recognizes Jim quickly.

James Palmer looks back and shrugs, not bothered while he rummages for change in his own pocket. "I was just waitin' my turn for a drink before work. Nice to see you again, Captain." The mechanic looks Jim over, folds his arms, and smiles a little. "Didn't realize you liked coffee." He's not exactly a coffee guy - he has other vices - but he's certainly not above it.

[smartass_captain]

Depending on how close Palmer's looking to get he might notice the coins Jim was fumbling with are hefty solid looking things. The Septims fit in the machine and gave him a drink so who cares if Jim's probably vastly overpaid for his canned coffee?

The better question is will there be any left if Palmer's looking for canned coffee. Granted there's plenty of other options in the machine.

"Your t...oh." He has to shuffle out of the way so as not to drop any of the cans he's coddling in the crook of one arm. The open can he's still clutching in his other hand. "Sorry." Still more grunt than mumble. "Lemme get out of the way."

[readvondaniken]

Palmer's noticed the strange coins, but he doesn't comment. He's seen all kinds of weird currency in this weird place. He wonders why Jim needed all that canned coffee. It's the other's business, and Palmer has his own issues, so he looks over what's left in the machine.

He draws some quarters from his own pocket. Earth money, so nothing too special here. "Hey, thanks. No problem. Any kind of coffee you 'specially like?"

He's impressed by that stack of cans. That's more coffee than Palmer's ever seen in his life.

[stanford_pines]

"A mirror, apparently," Ford says with a wince, imagining what Sev or Valiska would say. "And I'm feeling extremely called out right now. How long have you been up?"

His record is over a week, but neither his brother, nor his wife nor their husband will tolerate that anymore, and the kids always tell on him, except for Dipper, who has similar tendencies.

Ate my last sentence oops

[smartass_captain]

At multiversal fourish in the morning Jim shouldn't be quite so surprised that he's finding empathy in the reaction from the only other soul unfortunate enough to be out roaming the plaza aside form himself. He's been awake for far too long to quip witticism off the cuff. Instead, the captain nurses his open can of coffee whilst he mulls the question over.

"Thirty...two hours? Thirty three? Hard to tell anymore." He pauses to make a soft noise that's far too indulged for a simple can of vending machine java. "Just refueling before I have t'head back to my ship."

He shifts to carefully step out of the way in case the other man would like to indulge in some fine vended drink alongside him. "Was hoping to hit up the welcome desk but their carafe must've run dry hours ago."

[sonof_mogh]

Worf had been practicing Mok'bara exercises as soon as he had got up and now he was stretching his legs to walk in amongst the Nexus residents within the Plaza area. Since the death of his Par'Mach'kai, Jadzia, the Klingon had been rather withdrawn the last few months. He had met a strong angel woman known as Lady Armalatosa, who had been there many times to lift his spirits. Now, he just wanted to inhale some fresh air and leave his apartment.

It was then he spotted the man at the vending machine. Was he trying to juggle cans of drink? Worf just frowned and offered the man a rather bored look.

"Nothing. You are clearly thirsty with all those cans."

There was a slight amused smile beneath his bearded lips. Barely. But it was there. Sometimes humans could be awkward and foolish. Was this one the same?

[smartass_captain]

Nonhumans aren't entirely uncommon in the Nexus, and so meeting one in the gloomy predawn hours doesn't immediately set the Starfleet captain on edge. Something about Worf's accent, however, is terribly familiar. And on a second glance Jim all but chokes on his coffee he was inhaling. Because before 'inhale' was a turn of phrase but in the moment Jim Kirk's brain registered who he was seeing as a Klingon for real in the Nexus that turned into a literal attempt to breathe coffee and sadly, despite how much Jim wishes otherwise humans still cannot do such a thing.

The cans tumble out of his arm and clatter against the sidewalk while the human is left bent over coughing heavily for almost a minute straight.

"I...I'm sorry, what?" Jim croaks weakly once he's got his lungs in order and no longer trying to act like they're drowning. "How...have you been here for long?"

[eumenis]

A bold question indeed, when addressed towards Furiosa! She knows Jim well, though, and while his body language and grumbled greeting give her some mild concern, she's hardly offended.

"You tell me," she answers dryly. "You're clinging to those things like it's the first fresh aqua-cola you've seen after a week in the desert. You okay there, Jim?"

She, by contrast, has a bag of cinnamon buns so fresh there's steam rising from the bag. She's not afraid to throw a punch to defend them, either, but it's likely she approached him in the first place to offer him one.

[smartass_captain]

She's seen the man push himself to the limit before on what's possible to accomplish sans sleep during the winter storm long ago now, but no one's bleeding and nothing's exploding so it's Probably not a crisis, exactly.

"Mmh. Sorry." He half expected to get stopped by one of his own crew. "Replicator's offline on the ship, and I've still got work to do." Hence...well. All the coffee he can carry, apparently.

[conjuredskies]

Even if Jim was firing on all cylinders, he could be forgiven for not spotting exactly who it is stretched out on the nearby couch, given he's got a blanket covering most of him and a jacket draped over his face. Felix was content to lie in the dark and make pitiful noises to himself up until someone started sending solid gold coins chunk-chunking down into an unprepared vending machine. He lifts the jacket enough to peer out at who it is- and he's not all that surprised, really.

"...Sweet Magnus, how many of those can you drink in one sitting?"

[smartass_captain]

Wait, Jim knows that voice. He knows that swear, and he definitely isn't expecting that combination of familiar things right Now. Jim glances down at the cans in his arm, considering. He nearly offers one out but then checks himself and turns back to the machine. With another egregiously loud chunk-chunk of a septim being force fed into the vending machine Jim precariously balances a fizzy fruit drink of some kind atop his pile before bringing it over to his husband.

"Here. You wouldn't like these. No sugar in 'em." Rather too much creamer for Jim's liking too but it's better than nothing. And because he can feel that pointed gaze on him, Jim huffs. "Not going to drink them all right this second, but bringing down main power means the replicators are offline too. No way I'm going to make it through Alpha's meeting without something."

[losthunter]

It is a familiar face... and voice... that makes Hunter stop in his tracks today. He turns, a slight moment of hope in his heart, and then smiles slightly to see Captain Kirk. Certainly not the Captain he had hoped it would be... but still someone he is familiar with.

Zunar, who is still keeping company with Hunter, rushes up to play with a discarded and empty cream container, that someone had just tossed to the side after dumping it into their coffee.

"I am guessing someone who needs a good nights rest."

[smartass_captain]

Oof, this is always a little awkward. Jim's painfully aware that him being here in the first place is bound to be something of a disappointment to Hunter. It's always lingering in the back of his mind when they talk and the Other captain isn't to hand. Especially given recent events and the younger captain's temporary housing in Yorktown...well. not even sleep deprivation can stave off the awkward shuffling Jim does while he tries to figure out what to say.

"I'll get one, sure. Once the ship's sorted I don't think all the stimulants in the multiverse could stop me from crashing."

[ziggyplayedguitar]

Ziggy is always looking for good coffee early in the morning, or at any time really, but especially in the morning. The caffeine chugging gets a stare and then a bright almost girly laugh. He knew these kinds of mornings, rockstar mornings with no sleep or too much booze or both on top of who knows what. Maybe that is not what has happened here but the look is similar.

The question gets a head shake and a smile. "Someone who needs stronger coffee, or a double hair of the dog and a disco nap." It's honest but also humorous.

[smartass_captain]

Too peppy for this little sleep. Jim actually half winces for it but he reins in his demeanor soon enough. Best to doggedly finish his first can so he can begin to consider facing another day with no rest in sight.

"Gotta thread the needle. Too much and my hands'll start shaking, too little and it won't matter because I'll be asleep in a jeffries tube rather than helping." If Jim sounds a little gruff, well. It's nothing compared to what his CMO can manage but he's feeling a bit put out to be laughed at.

[ididntasktogetmade]

Early morning suits Rocket just fine, but some days it's better to get away from the ship in the wee hours of the morning. Drax snores like he's demolishing an entire forest, and while Rocket once found the sound kind of comforting for its long absence, it's since worn out its welcome. He's always felt more alert at night anyhow.

The shambling figure damn near trips over him on his single-minded trek to the vending machine, ignoring Rocket's cry of "hey!" or perhaps just not hearing it. Rocket grumbles to himself, brushing off his jumpsuit, though he leaves the ludicrously oversized gun in place on his back. "Dunno, you tell me," he shoots back, craning his neck a little to look up at the man. "I think it's a zombie."

[smartass_captain]

A zom...? Jim actually turns and looks over his shoulder, because this is the Nexus and honestly he's had a pretty good track record with the undead. Neither men still venture out to these parts of the multiverse but as sleep deprived as Jim is he's hopeful for half a second before the penny drops. He groans instead. Definitely not enough caffeine in his system to deal with being talked down to by a raccoon with a gun.

"Har, har." Let him just finish this first can here. "You never pulled an all nighter for a job?" Rocket doesn't need to see Jim's face well to know he's scowling around that can of his.

[fiveofnone]

The early hours of the Nexus are a great time for Caspar to visit, seeing as how he needs so little sleep himself. The vending machines are not his intended destination, but he recognizes Jim and, more importantly, needs to intervene on the Captain's disastrous mistake.

"A tragedy," he says, pointing to the cans. "You'll go blind drinking that crap." Well, probably not, but Caspar would never personally sully his body with an energy drink or whatever that is. "Is it the caffeine? There are cafés open right now, you know, ones that make decent coffee."

Don't debase yourself like this, Jim, you deserve better.

[smartass_captain]

"Really." Comes the dry remark given only a slightly tinny undertone due to the can Jim's mostly speaking into. The corner of the captain's mouth quirks up without his consent. It's such a Bones thing to say that Jim can't really be annoyed by the sudden pushiness of the Cylon.

"Canned coffee." Jim turns the label of the open can so Caspar can get a better look at it in the dim light. "Didn't really plan on making an adventure out of this outing." Interacting with other people, waiting around, walking out somewhere...

"I did try one of the usual kiosks that carries the better stuff but they'd run out. Didn't really have much time to spare, so...." Here they are. "Got a problem back on the ship I'm still working on. Just need to stay awake long enough to see it through."

[ginger_firebird]

Oh look. How intimidating. Mantis doesn't bat an eye at the bitterness. Addiction, however mild, is a hell of a thing to alter behavior. He even smiles a little as he replies to the irritable man.

"Caffeine addiction. It's one of the easiest stimulants to develop a dependency for. I prefer coffee when the mood strikes, but soda is a good substitute."

[smartass_captain]

True, Jim Kirk is likely not going to be the most intimidating man in the room almost anywhere. Even when he's angry. Especially when he's exhausted and chugging cheap coffee out of a can at way-too-early in the morning.

"...I mean I guess that's not wrong." Huff. Always a smartass around here. Even when it's mostly empty. Jim can't shake his head much. It would mean putting the can down and he's not doing that until it's empty. "Starfleet runs on coffee."

That's definitely not an official slogan but Jim says it like it is.

[sharktoothtotem]

Taylor giggles a little at the sight and looks at the coffee she had ordered at the tavern.

"Here, looks like you could use this more than I do. No milk, no sugar." She holds it out to him.

[smartass_captain]

Well that's unexpected.

Jim stops mid-sip of the canned coffee he's got clutched tight in one hand. Glances down at the small hoard of extra cans he'd purchased from the machine before taking a cautious step toward Taylor to nod down to them.

"You sure? You want one of these then, instead? There's a bit of milk in them, unfortunately, but they're not bad."

[becarefulwhatyouwish]

Should the lighting land just right, the skulking figure in the shadows might be revealed by green-glowing eyes, shining in the dim light around the vending machines. It would be enough to give most jumpy humans a start, but it only lasts for a moment before Coyote emerges into the pale fluorescent light cast off by the Nexus street lamps.

"What indeed," he chuckles, looking the captain up and down. "At this hour, I'd expect Possum, or perhaps Raccoon. You're taking their jobs, friend."

[smartass_captain]

Not enough caffeine has been consumed to make Jim wired enough to startle badly. The captain doubletakes after what he assumes is a trick of the light but the well dressed...uh. Gentleman? Gentlewolf? Gentlebeast...???????? Not awake enough for this. Definitely not.

The well dressed figure speaks perfect Standard and seems normal enough so far as the Nexus is concerned. Jim doesn't overthink it.

"I left plenty of cans in the machine if they're about to raid them." Jim retorts with a soft snort. "I'm well aware of what ass end of the night I find myself in unwillingly."